Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2010, Mojave National Preserve / Day 8: Mid Hills campground to Nipton by bicycle, Mojave National Preserve 47
I ride down to Nipton for a shower, food and beer, to begin the second week of this trip. I was fearing heat down in Ivanpah Valley, but the cold-weather system makes for a nice ride. 41.7 bicycle miles, mostly downhill, from 5600 to 3030 feet elevation.
- I'm up early this morning, enjoying the warm morning sun on my very cold tent; it must have dropped down into the 30s last night
I slept with all my clothes on, and woke up several times during the night due to the cold and the noise of the high winds. But I somehow feel refreshed. I'll pack up leisurely this morning and then ride down to Nipton for a shower, café food and beer. - I walk up the hill near my campsite to take in the views from around 5600 ft elevation before leaving Mid Hills campground
I'm wearing my windbreaker over my sweater this morning, but I'm still shivering. Despite the cold wind on this hilltop, the sunshine and the views over to Cima Dome and Kessler Peak lift my spirits. - After spending five nights at Mid Hills campground, the contents of my tent have become quite disorganized
It doesn't matter now though, as everything is getting packed up and going for a ride down to Nipton. Breakfast and coffee first. - The 10-ton bike is ready to leave Mid Hills campground for Nipton
All saddlebags are packed and just need to be mounted on the bike. It's easier to assemble the bike when a support, like the picnic table here, is available to keep the bike standing; but I've gotten used to assembling the bike without a support too. - One last look at Eagle Rocks before I leave Mid Hills campground
It was fun walking around over at Eagle Rocks yesterday. - Goodbye Mid Hills campground for this year
I ride through the peaceful campground, still surprised at how few people are here for a Sunday morning. The cold-weather forecast has apparently kept people away. - As I exit Mid Hills campground, I notice what looks like rain clouds over in the area of the Providence Mountains
I'm about to head down Wild Horse Canyon Road away from the clouds, for a while. However, my route will change direction after a few miles, so I may find myself headed toward the rain clouds. Hmmm.... - I head east, downhill, a couple of miles on Wild Horse Canyon Road until it reaches Black Canyon Road beyond the pinnacle ahead
Despite the dark clouds behind me, it's still a bright and sunny day over toward Pinto Mountain, Round Valley, and beyond. - I ride through the shade of a dark cloud as I descend Black Canyon Road toward Cedar Canyon Road
It's always fun to take this hill in the downhill direction as a reward for all the sweat I expended riding it uphill five days ago. - The north end of Black Canyon Road is a nice straight downhill to the "T" intersection at Cedar Canyon Road
I'd love to take this downhill at a good speed... However, with the washboard texture of the road rattling my teeth as I ride, and destabilizing patches of surface sand here and there, I grandfatherly coast on the 10-ton bike, with brakes often on. - I watch a small RV rattle its way up, at about 5 miles per hour, the washboarded hill of Black Canyon Road that I just descended
This is only the second vehicle I've seen this morning. - Riding west on Cedar Canyon Road, I get views of the Eagle Rocks area from down below
A group of three vehicles passes me here, slowly, creating a minor dust cloud. Most people do not drive very fast on these washboarded roads! - Riding through Cedar Canyon is scenic, but my fingers are getting cold!
It's typically cooler up in the mountains here, but this is unusually chilly for late May! On the way down, I'm noticing how badly the road is washboarded; on the way up, my speed was so slow that it didn't seem so bad. - The road pops out of Cedar canyon and begins its way down the foothills toward Kelso-Cima Road
Might be rainy down there... I hope not, since it's cold today, and I didn't bring rain pants on this trip (my outer shell is reasonably waterproof). I regularly bicycle-commute in the rain, but on those days I have a place to warm up should I get wet. - Beyond the purple sage, it looks like the area around Death Valley Mine might be getting a shower right now
I often ride the unimproved Death Valley Mine Road over to Cima when I'm out here, but today I'll ride more of semi-busy Kelso-Cima Road for a change. - Many fallen joshua trees are seen along Cedar Canyon Road where the 2005 brush fires burned
There's a bit of rain or fog down there somewhere, perhaps around Kelso Depot. The dark clouds seem to be moving around quickly. - I'm now in the small area of Cedar Canyon Road where I can usually get cell-phone reception
I'm watching for the little road before the one that leads to Chicken Water Spring, where I'll stop and take a break. I'm worried about my rear wheel coming loose again, but so far no problem. - I turn down the little road off Cedar Canyon Road for a short break and watch the rain clouds approach
Here they come... Time for an energy bar. The view of Eagle Rocks in the background is being concealed by the wafting cloud. - I shove my cell phone up to my mouth and enjoy the reception here, as well as the view of Cima Dome in the distance
I send a couple of text messages, then change my outgoing message, to inform callers of my location. I haven't had any reception for a few days, so I'm late receiving a message from my partner alerting me of the cold weather that I'm experiencing. - The moist clouds blow past; what first looks like a bit of pollen in the breeze are a few snowflakes
OK, no wonder I feel a bit cold. Since it's colder at Mid Hills campground, maybe there are some bonafide snow flurries up there right now. - After my cell-phone break, I speed down the final 2.75 miles of Cedar Canyon Road at about 20 mph; pavement begins just ahead
It feels good to reach pavement and ride fast without having my teeth rattle from a washboarded road surface beneath me! Nonetheless, I'm glad that most of Cedar Canyon Road is rough and unpaved; it keeps the area remote. - I cross a cattleguard, then the train tracks, then turn right (north) on Kelso-Cima Road at the stop sign
The old Mojave Road continues ahead past this point, squiggling up the hill toward Cima Dome in the irregular sunlight. - I ride almost five miles up the gentle grade of Kelso-Cima Road to the Cima Store, gaining about 450 feet in elevation
The slight uphill combined with patches of sunshine means that I'm starting to sweat; time to take off my windbreaker! I don't see any wetness on the road, but the distinct smell of summer rain is in the air. - Outside the Cima Store is a pay phone and a very worn sign telling us to preserve our desert (good message)
Since there is no cell-phone reception here, a pay phone is still useful to people with cell phones. Unfortunately, a similarly useful pay phone down at Kelso Depot was removed a few years ago. - Also by the Cima Store sits an old boxcar or trailer
I wonder why it's here, and if there are plans to do anything with it. I deposit my mortgage payment in the nearby mailbox. - Cima Store is open today, so I stop for a bag of chips and a bottle of blogger Morongo Bill's esteemed Sioux City Sarsaparilla
Sioux City Sarsaparilla is what root beer is supposed to taste like. Morongo Bill's blog comments on a variety of desert issues; worth a look. As I drink up, I realize it's a bit chilly today to be sucking back a cold beverage! - I finish my snacks from the Cima Store and start riding Morning Star Mine Road, which is flat at first
Looks like I may have missed the rain that was passing through the area. It's chilly, but sunny, up here in the Cima area. - From the upper stretch of Morning Star Mine Road, I enjoy the views across miles of joshua-tree forest to the New York Mountains
The closest I've come to visiting any of the area before me is Butcher Knife Canyon, just out of view to the right. I hope to pass by the foot of those mountains later in this trip. - I stop briefly off Morning Star Mine Road where the power lines cross
I've ridden the powerline road west from here up to Cima Road, but haven't tried riding yet it northeast across the upper part of Ivanpah Valley. - Looking across Ivanpah Valley from upper Morning Star Mine Road, I wonder if maybe I will experience rain after all
Whatever... I keep riding. - I begin the stimulating descent down Morning Star Mine Road into Ivanpah Valley, and I don't stop until I reach the bottom
The almost-1500-foot drop over 10 miles on Morning Star Mine Road is one of the best bicycle downhills in Mojave National Preserve. It's never steep, but I have a tailwind here as I often do. I take the lane and ride at over 35 miles per hour for a while. It's not nearly so much fun in the uphill direction, which can feel endless after a while. - Near the bottom of Morning Star Mine Road, signs and cars pop up through the creosote-bush scrub
No rain on me yet! - I reach that stop sign in the middle of nowhere at the bottom of Morning Star Mine Road, at the junction of Ivanpah Road
I can see the town of Nipton at the distant mid-right, my destination today. I turn left here as most car traffic does. A right turn here would take me into the New York Mountains and past the old Ivanpah village, a nice trip that I've done several times. - I pause at the end of Morning Star Mine Road to look east up Ivanpah Road into the New York Mountains
I've went up that way several times before (the road isn't as steep as it looks), but I need a shower after a week in the backcountry, which I can only get at Nipton. - I ride 3 miles on Ivanpah Rd, then 7 miles across Ivanpah Valley on Nipton Road, and arrive at Nipton, population 20
There's a fair amount of traffic on this road. Despite the dark clouds ahead, it has been sunny down here in Ivanpah Valley, and I'm working up a sweat: quite a contrast to the cold up in the hills. - I pull up at the Nipton store and sign up for a campsite for the night
My rig is the one with no motor! - The tent camping area at Nipton is right along the tracks, which provides stimulating late-night noise when freight trains pass
I've never met any other tent campers here, perhaps because it's not exactly a bargain at $25 per night. But there are amenities: a café with good food, toilets and showers (haven't had one in a week), an outdoor hot tub, and a small laundromat. - Adjacent to the tent-camping area is the Nipton Bed-and-Breakfast and the café
The general store is hidden just to the left of the café. The cactus garden in front of the hotel is a nice touch. - Beyond the Nipton campground, I see storm clouds over the Castle Peaks, those pointy distant mountains
Tomorrow I'll ride up to that area and camp for a couple of days. - I set up my tent in the shade of some eucalyptus trees and buy some cold beer at the Nipton store
I'll head over to the café in an hour for a big home-cooked supper. I just learned the sad news that Bill, former café owner and chef, passed away recently, but the café lives on. - From Nipton, I see rain clouds over the area of Morning Star Mine Road, site of my nice downhill ride a couple of hours ago
I wonder if it's really raining over there, or if it's just a "dry rain" (virga) passing through. Even rain in the desert is sometimes dry! - It looks like there might be rain over in the New York Mountains as well, in the area of Garvanza Spring
I haven't been to Garvanza Spring yet, but I hope to make it to that area toward the end of this trip. - The washrooms in the fibreglass-clad quonset hut at Nipton are aging, but doing reasonably well
The earth floor with wood slats above it adds a rustic touch. - One of the shower stalls for campers at Nipton
I can't wait to take a shower after supper, my first in a week! - The quonset hut at the Nipton campground houses toilets, sinks and showers; an outdoor hot tub is nearby, to the right
Time to walk over to the café for supper! Though not a huge meat-eater, I order the New York strip steak meal, which is delicious and fills my protein craving. I chat with a couple who have visited many of the same places as I, then do my laundry and take a much-needed shower. I have cell-phone reception here, so I make a couple of calls and send a few text messages to declare that I'm alive and really enjoying this spring's trip. Of course it's warmer down here at Nipton than it was up in the mountains at Mid Hills campground, but I go to bed with all my clothes on anyway. I fall asleep around 0h15, and sleep wonderfully, despite being woken up by the occasional passing trains. - Elevation profile of bicycle route from Mid Hills campground to Nipton via Cima and Morning Star Mine Road
41.7 bicycle miles, mostly downhill, from 5600 feet elevation to 3030 feet. - Bicycle route from Mid Hills campground to Nipton via Cima and Morning Star Mine Road
41.7 bicycle miles, mostly downhill, from 5600 feet elevation to 3030 feet.